Gasoline-consumption tester



.Oct. 18, 1927. 1,645,774

J. E. POWELL GASOLINE CONSUMPTION TESTER Filed July 28, 1925 To SUPPLY gwuentop T5 John E. Powell I cam/5070K $61 @41 Patented 0a. is, 1927.

UNITED STATES,

JOHN E. POWELL, OF ISSAQUAH, WASHINGTON.

GASOLINE-CONSUMPTION TESTER.

Application filed July 28, 1925. Serial No. 46,579.

My invention relates to accessories for automobiles, and consists of a device adapted to be installed in or'connected with the gasoline supply mechanism so that whendesired an accurate test may be made to determine the rate of gasoline consumption. My device is not of that character which will automatically give a continuous indication of the rate of consumption, but one which may be availed of whenever desired to indicate the rate of gasoline consumption at the time.

The object of 'm invention is, first, to satisfy the natural esire of drivers to know with what degree of efiiciencythe gasoline is being employed, by enabling-the rate of gasoline consumption to be determined, to adjust the carburetor and as well .the parts of the engine, and particularly to determine whether or not the piston and piston rings are operating effectively or wastetully. My invention consists essentially of a container which is inserted in the gasoline supply line between the carburetor and the source of supply of gasoline, which container is of a known capacity. and with this, means whereby the source of supply of gasoline to said container may be cut off when desired. In this way a supply of gasoline of known quantity can at any time be segregated from the main source of supply. and themain source of supply cut off, so that by observing the distance which the car will travel using this known volume of gasoline, the mileage secured per unit of measurement of gasoline, as a gallon, may be determined.

The invention consists of the novel c0n-. structions and combinations which will be hereinafter defined by the claims. The accompanying drawings show a simple and efficient means of constructing a device containing my invention. A

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the engine of a car and the essential parts which are associated with my device.

Figure 2 is a sectional elevation taken through the container of my device.

It is evident that if a tank or container containing a definite and known quantity of gasoline be connected with the carburetor of a car, and means be employed whereby the engine can draw upon no other gasoline, the distance which the car will travel with this known and limited supply of gasoline may be used as a basis for determining the efficiency of action of the engine. It is the p rpose of my invention to. supply a container of this character and means whereby this may be put into action whenever the above information is desired.

In the drawings, 1 represents an automobile engine, in side elevation; 2 represents a carburetor, which may be of any type of construction. In fact in such engines as may be operated without a carburetor, my device may be connected directly with the means employed for directly supplying the .gasolineto the engine. While in accordance with the usual practice a carburetor would be employed and my device connected with the carburetor. it is to be understood that the carburetor is not strictly speaking an ele ment of the combination which defines my invention.

In Figure 1 I have shown a suction tank 3, which is of standard construction such as is employed for supplying gasoline to the engine. This, however, may be considered as simply representing the source of supply of gasoline. Where supply tanks are used placed at such elevation that gravity feed when it is being used for this purpose, be a decimal fraction of a gallon, as, for instance, a tenth or a twentieth of a gallon. This particular size is preferred only makes the computations easier.

The gas is supplied to this container through the pipe 5, which is supplied with a cut-ofi' valve 50. The gasoline 1s delivered from this container ite the carburetor through a pipe 6, which pipe, for convemence of accurate adjustment, may be extended upward above the bottom of the container 4. The pipe 6 is preferably secured in such a manner that it may be adjusted up or down. This may be easily secured by In faet, for con-' because it using a clamping device such as shown at 60, this being of a type of construction which is standard for. connecting such small pipes as would be used for this purpose. This represents a construction in which the pipe 6 is not permanently fixed to any of the other parts shown, but is held by the frictional grip thereon of the small conical ferrule 64 under pressure produced by screwing down the cap 60. Any other method of adiustably securing the pipe may be adopted. It is evident that by adjusting the level of the upper or intake end of the delivery pipe 6, the volume of the container 4, which would be drawn off by gravity, may be varied, and in this way accuracy of volume may be obtained.

I may, and prefer to employ a screen as 61 within the container and extending over the upper end of the delivery pipe 6. This screen, for convenience in placing its seat low, and yet providing vertical space for the adjustment of the pipe 6, would be made of conical shape, as has been illustrated. A removable cap 62' permits access to this container whenever desired. A vent pipe 63 extends upward from the container a sufficient distance to prevent any probabilty of gasoline being forced threfrom. The contents of this pipe, or at least that portion of the pipe which may be filled with asoline when the device is connected up or use, shouldbe figured as a part of the contents of the container,

When a. party having this device installed upon a car desires to determine the mileage being then obtainedfrom the gasoline, turns the valve connecting the container 4 with the source of supply of gasoline, so as to cut off this flow. This should synchronize in time with an observation of the speedometer reading, which reading should. be noted. The car is then run until the gasoline contained in the container 4 has all been consumed and the car will run no farther; A reading of the speedometer should at this time be made, and compared with the prev1ous reading. If the volume of the con.- tainer 4 and its connected parts is one tenth of a gallon, the reading of the speedometer multiplied by ten, would give the mileage per gallon being obtained. If the volume is one twentieth of a gallon, the reading mustbe multiplied by twenty. It is therefore possible, by the use of a device of small bulk, to quickly determine just. What rate of gasoline consumption is being obtained.

That portion of the container or bell 4 lying below the level of the upper end of the discharge tube 6 will function as a trap for Water and dirt found in more or less quan tities in most gasoline. This can be drained of! by disconnecting pipe 6.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A gasoline consumption tester comprising a container having gasoline supply and gasoline discharge pipes independently.

connected therewith to include said container in the normal gasoline supply line, means for adjustably fixing the level of the inlet discharge pipe to vary the available volume of said container, and meansfor cutting off the gasoline supply to said container when desired. I

2. A gasoline consumption tester comprising a container adapted for permanent connection in the gasoline supply line just ahead of the carburetor, a discharge pipe to the carburetor extending upwardly into the container means for adju'stably fixing the level of the pipe inlet to thereby accurately determine the available supply volume of the container.

3. A gasoline consumption tester comprising a container adapted for permanent connection in the gasoline supply line just ahead of the carburetor, a discharge pipe to the carburetor extending upwardly into the container means for adjustably fixing the level of the pipe inlet to thereby accurately determine the available supply volume of the container, and a vent pipe extending up wardly from said container to above the source of supply of gasoline.

Signed at Seattle, King County, ashing'ton, this 20th day of July, 1925.

JOHN E. POWELL. 

